10-00-20 RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT

A.

B.

The following paragraphs state the assignment of responsibilities within the Department related to radiation health. These responsibilities,

with the exception of B. 6 and 7 below, were already being carried on prior to the issuance of Executive Order 10831.

Office of the Secretary.

The Office of the Secretary is responsible for general policy leadership; for final decision on the Department's legislative and budget position; for coordination of radiation health matters affecting more than one operating agency; and for public information matters related to the responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary.

Public Health Service. The Public Health Service is responsible for: 1. Research and epidemiology on radiation exposure and its effects on

man, including prevention, treatment, and control of excessive

exposure;

2. Research related to the establishment of biological and physical standards, and instrumentation, and methodology related to human

exposure;

3. Technical assistance to States in the development and conduct of their radiation health programs;

4. Development of methodology of detection and measurement of radio-
activity levels for use by State and local agencies in their pro-
grams for control of environmental health hazards;

5. Operation of monitoring and sampling networks to determine the
degree of radioactivity present in air, water, and milk;

6. Arranging for receipt on a regular basis of data on envircamental
radiation levels gathered by other departments and agencies;

7. Collation, analysis and interpretation of data on environmental radiation levels as a basis for the Secretary's advice

to the President and the general public;

8. Assignment of personnel and other resources upon request to

cooperative radiation health projects with other Federal, State, and local agencies and appropriate non-governmental institutions; 9. Training of employees of Federal, State and local governments and of industry in general radiological health, which would also include der ɔnstrations of radiological health and radiation protection programs, and appropriate laboratory and technical services;

10. The development of operating standards or recommendations to achieve accept bie levels of axposure from air, water and milk, medical procedures, and the general environment;

11.

The development of appropriate decontamination and radiation protection techniques, related to exposure from the above Sources;

12. The develop ent of radiation protection guidance for the use

of X-rays iı diagnosis and treatment;

13. Inspection and enforcement activities required of the Public Health Service under such specific laws as those related to biologics, interstate carrier sanitation, water pollution control, and air pollution control; and

14. Public information and health education activities related to

the above responsibilities.

C. Food and Drug Administration.

The Food and Drug Administration,

under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended (the

Food Additives Amendment specifically mentions radiation), is

responsible for:

1. Determining permissible levels of radioactivity in foods and

drugs;

2. Establishing and promulgating such permissible levels;

3. Maintaining a program of monitoring foods, drugs, and cosmetics to determine levels of radioactivity:

a. Initiating and assuring appropriate regulatory action where necessary because of radioactivity in foods, drugs, or

cosmetics in excess of permissible levels;

4. Conducting research to:

a. Develop methodology for identification and evaluation of radioactivity in foods, drugs, and cosmetics; and

b. Develop techniques for decontamination for affected foods,

drugs, and cosmetics;

5. Conducting training programs in methodology and techniques

related to the above responsibilities for:

a. Appropriate Federal, State, and local employees, such as

food and drug inspectors;

b. Appropriate professional and technical employees of

establishments subject to inspection under the Act;

6. Approval of radioactive drugs used in diagnosis and treatment;

58454 0-60- -39

D.

7. Inspection and enforcement activities related to instances of quackery and fraud in the use of foods and drugs alleged to

be beneficial because of their "radioactive" properties; and 8. Public information and educational activities related to the

above responsibilities.

Social Security Administration, Children's Bureau.

The Children's Bureau, as part of its consultation and guidance responsibility, is responsible for:

1. Interpretation to parents of information about the benefits

and hazards of X-ray and fluoroscopy as related to the fetus, infant, or child; and

2. Advice and education on good practice in the use of X-ray and

fluoroscopy in connection with maternal and child health and

crippled children's services.

In carrying out these responsibilities the Children's Bureau

looks to the Public Health Service for technical information and

advice.

E. Office of Education.

Radiation health principles and techniques are included, as appropriate, in the guidance provided by the Office of Education, in its administration of grant funds for vocational training in such areas as industrial safety, distribution of strategic materials, instrumentation and electronics, practical nursing, family care, and nutrition.

APPENDIX 4

Press Statement of Hon. ARTHUR S. Flemming, April 27, 1960

FOR RELEASE TO MORNING PAPERS

Thursday, April 28, 1960

Statement*
by

Arthur S. Flemming

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

I have been provided with a copy of the regular quarterly statement of the Atomic Energy Commission on fallout, which is being released today. This statement contains information relating to the strontium 90 content of wheat and wheat products from the 1958 crop in 9 States.

At my request, the Public Health Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Federal Radiation Council have reviewed these data.

The advice given ma by the Public Health Service and the Food and Drug Administration, which has been concurred in by the Federal Radiation Council and which I have accepted, is that the strontium 90 intake of the U. S. population from all dietary sources at the present time does not constitute a public health hazard warranting any regulatory action.

The data contained in the Atomic Energy Commission statement are summarized in the table below:

Wheat Milling Products-1958 Crop from 9 States (Strontium 90 in micremicrocuries** per kilogram) Reported by the Atomic Energy Commission, April 1960 Strontium 90 micromicrocuries per kilogram

**A curie is a measure of radioactivity equivalent to that produced by 1 gram of radium. A micromicrocurie is one millionth of a millionth of a curie.

The Statement of the Atomic Energy Commission also shows that up to the present time analyses on the 1959 crop have been completed for whole wheat only. These analyses show results similar to those for the 1958 crop. *Issued at Briefing Conference, Washington, D. C., Wednesday, April 27, 1960